APIA, Samoa — King Charles said Friday that the Commonwealth should acknowledge its “painful” history, as African and Caribbean nations push for reparations for Britain’s role in transatlantic slavery.
“I understand from listening to people across the Commonwealth how the most painful aspects of our past continue to resonate,” Charles said in a speech to the summit.
Opponents of reparations say countries should not be held responsible for historical wrongs, while those in favor say the legacy of slavery has led to vast and persistent racial inequality.
There are different types of reparations, from financial payments and apologies to technology transfer and educational programs.
“What the Ocean Declaration seeks to do and to say is that once your marine boundaries are fixed, they’re fixed in perpetuity,” Scotland told Reuters.
Persons:
Samoa — King Charles, ” Charles, Keir Starmer, Frederick Mitchell, ”, Jacqueline McKenzie, Leigh Day, Patricia Scotland
Organizations:
Commonwealth, Government, Caribbean Community, African Union, CARICOM, BBC, Leigh, Reuters
Locations:
APIA, Samoa, Caribbean, Commonwealth, Britain, Bahamas, London, Americas, British, Dominica